For our 10-year anniversary, it’s
only appropriate we revisit the stories and issues that made QSR and quick-service
what they are today. By Blair Chancey

A decade ago Bill Clinton began his second
term in office, Hong Kong left behind British rule, F.W.
Woolworth’s closed its doors, and QSR launched its inaugural
issue. These 10 issues and stories found below span the history
of the magazine and have been chosen for their superior
reporting, industry influence, or sheer star power. What the
next 10 years hold for the quick-service industry and those who
follow it closely will surely be as exciting as the last.

Ten years and 106 issues ago, Dave Thomas
was featured on the cover of QSR’s inaugural issue and participated in the
magazine’s first QSR Interview. In a frank Q&A
feature the founder of Wendy’s International told readers
his thoughts on life (“It’s fragile”);
franchisees (“They play a big role”); and profit
(“It’s not a dirty word”). At that
point Thomas’s company was made up of 5,072 units. Today
that number has grown to more than 6,000 and shows no signs of
stopping—as evident in its No. 3 finish in last
month’s QSR 50 ranking.

Following the 2002 death of its iconic
front man, Wendy’s struggled to retain the core
principles Thomas first established for the brand. A
revived emphasis on quality hamburgers and the sales of
Tim Hortons and Baja Fresh are indicators that the brand
might be back on track.

Issue #9 January
1999

“Who Delivers in Drive-Thru”

The first QSR magazine drive-thru study coincided with the
debut of cup holders in luxury cars. Since then a lot about
drive-thrus, the magazine’s coverage of them,
and luxury cars has changed—all for the better. The
first study, reported in the January/February 1999 issue,
crowned Wendy’s the overall winner. Back then the chains
were evaluated on cut-and-dry areas: speed, order accuracy,
menuboard appearance, and speaker clarity. Today’s study,
like the industry it examines, has to be able to handle more.

In the most recent study we took consumer
feedback on what was most important in a drive-thru experience
and added that to the mix. The new emphasis on freshness and
technology like multi-lane ordering combined to change the way
the game was played and inevitably who the winner was.

With all these upgrades, like winning times
dropping from Long John Silver’s 159.1 seconds in
1999 to Checkers’ 125.5 seconds in 2006, that first study
shows what a difference 10 years can make.